William eichaed white



W. R.- WHITE.

(No Model.)

7 GATE LATCH.

N0.'3'76,568. Patented Jan. 17, 1888.

.l' ,gf E

I 1 I 1 7' I J1 n I mmm-to;

N n nsmmwmm m rwnwashnwm c;

i vitme :y 7 r -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RICHARD WHITE, OF WASHINGTON, IOWA.

GATE-LATCH.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,568, dated January 17, 1888.

Application filed October 4, 1887. Serial No. 251,467. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RICHARD WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate'Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gate-latches; and it consists in certain novel features, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a portion of a gate having my latch applied thereto, the gate being shown as opened. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the gate as partially closed, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gate as entirely closed.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the gate-post, and B the end of a sliding gate. One of the horizontal rails of the gate is extended beyond the vertical end bars, 0, thereof, and its end is beveled, as shown. The upper projecting ends of the end bars, 0, are beveled upwardly, and the vertical notches D are formed therein. The gate-post is composed of the parallel vertical bars E, and the latch F is pivoted between them. The latch comprises the blade or head G and the arm H, extending rearwardly therefrom. The blade or head G is adapted to engage the vertical notches D and extends across the post, and the pivot-pin I is inserted transversely through the post and the arm H. The said arm extends past the pivot-pin I, and is bifurcated and provided with the diverging arms J. When the gate is opened, one of these arms projects toward the gate in the path of the same, as shown in Fig. 1. When the gate is closed, the other arm J will project slightly above the end of the post, as shown in Fig. 3, and a slight pressure on said projecting arm will cause the blade to rise out of engagement with the notches D, as will be readily understood.

, The operation of the device will be readily understood. When the gate is opened, the latch is swung over the end of the post, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm H standing nearly vertical between the bars composing the post. When the gate is pushed toward the post, the

end of the projecting rail impinges against the forward arm J and pushes the same backward, thereby causing the latch to swing into engagement with the notches D. Should one of the arms ll be broken, the latch can be readily reversed, so as to present the remaining arm to the gate.

It will be seen that I have provided a cheap, simple, and efficient gate-latch, and its advantages will be readily appreciated.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The combination of the gate-post, the gate, and the latch, comprising a transverse blade and a bifurcated arm extending therefrom, the said arm being pivoted to the post and adapted to be actuated by the gate to cause the blade to engage the same, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM RICHARD WHITE. 

